The present invention relates to fluid warming devices for warming intravenous fluids, enteral feeding fluids and other fluids and delivering them to infants, elderly persons, and other patients (collectively referred to herein as “patients”).
Fluid warming devices have been developed to warm fluids as they are being delivered to a patient via a fluid-carrying tube. These devices typically include a housing and a heating element. The housing encloses the heating element and an intermediate portion of a fluid-carrying tube. The fluid-carrying tube is then connected to a pump (or can be gravity fed) at its first end and connected to a patient's vein or stomach at its second end. The fluids are warmed by the heating device as they are pumped or otherwise fed through the fluid-carrying tube.
The heating elements of fluid warming devices are often heated to a temperature of between 120° F. (49° C.) to 140° F. (60° C.). This high temperature level may negatively break down nutrients and medication properties in the fluids. The high heat may also damage the fluid-carrying tubes and introduce foreign particles from the tubes into the fluids.
Another problem with known fluid warming devices is that they transfer a large amount of heat to tubes over a short amount of time due to the limited effective heating length of the warming devices. Some fluid warming devices include elongated channels in their housings for increasing their effective heating lengths and heating times. However, the lengths of the channels are limited by the size of the housings. The housings also must be positioned a long way from patients such that their user inputs and displays are accessible to a caregiver, which often results in the fluids cooling down after exiting the warming devices and before reaching the patients.